


Of Two Minds

by DezeraCain



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:54:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21729364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DezeraCain/pseuds/DezeraCain
Summary: Elias has a thing about watching. Peter has a thing for the ultimately isolated. And neither of them can resist a wager.
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Peter Lukas
Kudos: 56





	Of Two Minds

**Author's Note:**

> HUGE SPOILER WARNING FOR SEASON 4. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO 159.

Peter had been called, again. He had no definite idea about how Wright kept contacting him. Being part of the Lonely so deeply usually afforded privacy. But Wright had his ways. This wasn’t the first time. Some deeply unsettled part of his mind said it wouldn’t be the last. The next time would never be the last time. The Beholder didn’t let go of useful people.

He took a dinghy to shore. His people could have time to themselves. Sure on shore might be better. But at the same time, it was so much more interesting to let them wallow in their own loneliness. When he returned, perhaps they would be able to enter the Lonely themselves. Some of them. He’d already marked several for sacrifice…

Wright waited for him on shore. Or he thought it was Wright. He wore the usual suit, but the lines of age were gone. More than lines, the skin, the hair, the smile. All of the physicality was someone else. But the essence, the soul of him, right down to the eyes, that was Wright. He took the mooring rope with the same feline grace as always. Peter kept an eye out, but he never quite saw Wright bend down.

“And what’s this one’s name? Charlie?” Peter quipped, climbing out of the boat. This Wright was shorter, not quite thin like Wright liked them, but he’d get there. 

“Elias. Elias Bouchard.” He replied, meeting Peter’s gaze as if he didn’t have to tilt his head back to make contact. “He had… Very little potential as himself. Now, I suppose he will learn what potential is.”

Peter frowned at that, wondering something. Had this… Were they really still inside there? Still alive and watching? Thumbing the pockets of his jacket, he frowned thoughtfully. Perhaps it was time he leveraged a little. “Let him talk. I want to see what this… Elias… was like.”

Elias frowned, displeasure pulled from his smug smile. His eyes rippled like water, sickeningly full of vertigo. Somewhere in the middle of the wavering, green gave way to amber. The frown he’d had dropped into abject horror. His postured dropped and any pretense of grace fell away. Peter watched the entire change in less than a minute.

“Wha- Where am I? Did I smoke too much? I thought I was- Did Wright- I- Dude look can you help me get home? I think it’s not far… When did I get to the Thames?” The man who both was and was not Magnus stammered. He looked around with confusion and fear, plucking at his clothes as if he could hide in a perfectly tailored suit. The only thing his behavior did was make him more conspicuous.

This was what Magnus chose to be now? A squirming addict with no idea what to do with his hands? Peter almost smiled. How brilliant. And dangerous.

“You’ll get home. Just not the way you like.”

“What do you mean? I mean, I was just going, the Boss saw me and… And we went into his office and… Why am I here?!” He was starting to shake, looking anywhere that wasn’t Peter. That was when Elias noticed his suit. “What the hell? I thought I tossed this old thing. Damn where have I been?”

“It’s not so bad. At least you won’t have to worry about getting caught now.”

“You aren’t gonna call the cops on me right? And I still have my job?” He seemed hopeful, which wasn’t what Peter expected. He’d learn very soon that he wouldn’t have to worry about things like the cops ever again.

“Oh I don’t think your job will be a problem much longer. Magnus I’m fine. You can come back now.” The captain called out, stepping back from the furtive man.

Elias looked alarmed, wavering back and forth. “Hey man, where are you going? What do you mean Magnus, I’m not- I’m-... Whaa…”

He stumbled forward and froze, stiff in a nearly falling position. He straightened like he was getting used to moving, a puppet shaking off his strings. Joints popped as he straightened to gracefulness again. Elias shoved his hair out of his face, eyes now jade green once again. “Are you happy, Peter? I’m not going to humor you like that again.”

Oh he was still so smug… Peter stepped in closer, pushing to unsettle him. “Not really. You and I both know what would make me happy.”

“I know. Perhaps we both can get what we want.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Peter stepped out of the invisible, skin crawling as he felt the presence of other people nearby. Humans were so… disgustingly connected. Here, not so much, but they existed. The only one who existed here was Elias. His Elias.

“Peter.” Elias didn’t look up. He didn’t have to look to know who was there, in his second seat of power. “You know sneaking in is impossible.”

“Can’t I enjoy your presence?” Peter slipped behind the slight man at the desk. It hadn’t been long for him to lose the baby fat. Something angular lived in him now and it was almost handsome. “Or his presence?”

Elias sighed and looked up at the door across the room. He didn’t give the Lonely Avatar the pleasure of eye contact. “You really want to do that again? I thought you of all people would be against that sort of interaction.”  
The sea captain ran his fingers through Elias’ trendy short hair. He enjoyed the feeling of goosebumps raising under his touch. “But I like seeing how lonely and helpless you make him.”

And still Elias didn’t respond more than leaning into the gentle touseling. Not until Peter leaned in to whisper, “I’ll make it a wager. If I can’t please you both, you can take control. Deal?”

The moments ticked by, flicked gently into the air by the wall clock. Neither spoke, neither moved. Neither for a moment, dared to breathe. Then Elias shuddered, and his shoulders slumped down.

“Wh- Peter?”

His fingers tightened, gripping beautiful dark hair. “Hush now. You remember the game we played last time. Now, let’s begin.”


End file.
